NOTES AND COMMENTS

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 216, 31 May 1918, Page 7

NOTES AND COMMENTS

TBT GMNCOK.I A reminder iB given by advertisement that entries for all events at the Napier Park Racing Club's Winter Meeting close to-night. Nominations for all events at tho Hawko's Bay Jockey Club's Wintor Meeting close on Friday, June 14, at 8 p.m. Tho Auckland and Duncdln meetings open to-morrow, and.will be concluded on Monday. After his good showings at Wanganui Arlington will bo in much favour for the Taihoa Hack Steeples at Otaki on Monday. The Signalman gelding will be ridden by L. Traill who scored on him at Foxton. It transpires that Sir George Clifford intendoft Bonding Adjutant, Gamecock, and Brambletye to the Dunedin meeting, but their acceptances did not arnvo in lime. In these dayß of interrupted wirc3 it docs not do to leave these matters till tho last minute. . Master Hamilton, -who used to bo trained at Riecarton, is now an inmate of S. Trilford's stablo at Orori. Afterglow, who haß been spelling ever since tho Manawatu Autumn Meeting, has been taken up again, and will bo got ready for some of tho classics in tho «pring. . ... -i. The three-year-old Association has changed hands, and will be shipped to Sydney Bhortly. , , The following are booked, to ride in the Great Northern , Hurdles:-Sir Fisher, A. Ward; Bon We, S. Reid: Gluetanus, S. Henderson; Colorado, A. M'Donald; Styrax, -p. Flynn; To Ong-i J. Roach; Tenacious, E ]?.ne; Thrace. F. Tutcheit: Fisher, A. M'Millan; and Penniless, T. Chaplin. In the Steeplechase Waimni will bo ridden by F. Flynn. S. Reid will be upon on Collector, H. M'Sweeney on Coalition, F,. CopesUiko on Marion. E. Bao on Moddite, R. Tapp on Bonnie Joan, R. Kelly on Hopye, and S. Henderson on\Gluepot. Bacing at Buncdin to-morrow will start at 11.15 a.m.. and at Ellerslio at 11J0 a.m. The Fordell stablo will bo represented at the Otaki meeting by Arrowflold,' Kude, Mouton Oueen and Moutoa Camp. At Wingatui Vi-morrow the Mabaki gelding Naupata is not mcctinpr a very good lot in tho Pacific Hurdles. The top-weight has been slightly lame since he. ran at Ashburlon, hut, it can 'safely be reckoned that ho is himself again or his 'trainer would not have taken him to tho meeting. The. hardest to beat of the others may bo Silver Shield, who won at Oamaru,. and is reported to bo a splendid jumper. Wjhen at. his best NaupaU is a pretty fair horse, and ho has already won on tho Wingatui course.

Amongst the runners In the Brighton Handicap is the imported horso Fleetham. Mr. ,T. O. N. drigg's horse was expected to show tip at Ashburton. hut he was not fortunate in running, and finished out of a plaec. In tho Birthday Handicap (one mile and a. quarter) tho Inyßrcargill-troiner, P. J. Hogan, has three horses engaged, viis.— Korkc's Drift, Balboa, and Oolden King. At Oamaru, where Goldon King ran second to Mdr.iwk it was tho opinion of many that differently handled ho would have won. Kirkby has been up no time, and can hardly be ready to sec out throe miles over country. Stono Ginger and Zarkoma, who have, been racing sinoo Easter, arc both Jikcly to be belter backed in the Otago Steeplechase Tho Queensland Turf Club's Cup meeting opeus on Saturday, and will bo continued on Monday and the following Saturday. The imported horse Lanius is topweighl, in the Cup with lOsf. 21b. Despite his big weight ho is sure of a, big.following. Poet-hlyn. winner of ihc War National Steeplechase, run at Gatwick on Mnroli 21, is owned by a lady, who, to mark her pleasure at the victory, donated half l.ho stakoß to the North Wales Heroes' Memorial' Fund. At the annual meeting of tho .Canterbury Jockey Club yesterday, Bays a Press Association telecrram from Ohristchurch, Mr. B. J. Maxwell suggested that the New Zealand Cup handicap rules should bo al-1 tored in.order to give the better horses a chance of winning. ( Hc suggested a minimum handicap of 7st. 41b. for four-yoar-olds, and 7sl. 10lb. for five-year-olds. Tho chairman, Mr. W. F. M. Buckley, pointed out that some four yeais ago a proposal that weights for tho Croat Easter aud Autumn Handicaps should start at a certain .point with tho object of giving tho better hor«cs a chance, had been vetoed by tho Boncral committee owing to war conditions, but as tho wa-r was still raging he thought the programme committee should think tho thing over. Ho hoped it would,